2014 RBAS Year in Review

As we look forward to the new year, let’s take a quick minute to look back at Rio Brazos Audubon’s 2014. We ended the November Challenge (well, we ended with the Christmas Bird Count, but I was sick so I can’t tell you about it!). And it’s well overdue to post the winners to the group! 

We had a very good response in for sketches and photo submissions… and a good response from the voters!

To calculate the winners, each vote was weighted (1^st pace vote got 5 points, 5^th place vote got 1 point) and total scores were tabulated.

Our grand prize winner of a field guide and a bird feeder was:

Gus Cothran and his Chipping Sparrow!

Chipping Sparrow by Gus Cothran

Scores:

Gus Cothran: 88 points

Bryan Calk: 78 points

Mark McDermott: 76 points

For the photo competition, our winner was:

Boris Novikov and his Owl in Flight!

Owl in flight by Boris Novikov

Scores:

Boris Novikov: 88 points

Bryan Calk: 51 points

John Baines: 43 points

Thanks to everyone that submitted a sketch or a photo and thanks to everyone that voted!

Alright- on with the show!

So let’s talk about where we bird. Our immediate contact area- that is, the places that we have members, birders, and places we frequently go- includes Brazos, Burleson, Grimes, Robertson, and Washington Counties. Ecologically, this area is split between seems of Post Oak Savannah and Blackland Prairie Ecoregions.

Adapted from epa.gov/wed/ecoregions/tx/tx_eco_pg.pdf

These ecoregions are what defines our habitats- as well as expectations- for our birds. The Post Oak Savannah (which include all or portions of all of the counties in our area) is characterized by clay pan soil (great for gardening!...ug), and a characteristic set of trees, shrubs, vines, grasses, and wildflowers. The Blackland Prairies is more limited in our area, occupying most of Washington and northern Milam counties and has a slightly different, but overlapping characteristic vegetation. This area is historically a grassy environment- lots of tall bunch grasses, open spaces, and pockets of trees. That has obviously changed, but there are still some pockets of native tall grass and open spaces. We also have a couple of reservoirs in the area, including Gibbons Creek, Lake Bryan, Lake Somerville, Lake Limestone, and Alcoa Lake (not open for birding any more). Of course, we also have two muddy rivers running through the area as well!

To the Birds!

Now as you might expect, Brazos is more heavily birded than the other counties simply because of the population centers of Bryan and College Station. More eyes usually means more birds. But that’s not to say that the other counties don’t have birds and birders out there working hard! Looking through the Ebird reports from 2014, here’s the comparison:

Brazos: 249

Burleson, Grimes, Madison, Milam, Robertson, Washington: 240

Digging through the lists (see bottom of blog entry), Brazos benefitted from sightings of many migratory birds like thrushes, vireos, and warblers. I suspect those birds made their way through the other counties, they’re just not as easy to find in the tree tops or leaf litter as they are in Brazos. On the other hand, there was a wider variety of waterfowl and waders in the other counties. I never noticed until recently, but Lake Bryan is really quite small! Lake Limestone (21 sq mi), Lake Somerville (17.9 sq mi), and even the Gibbons Creek Reservoir (4.3 sq mi) are all have quite a bit more surface area than Lake Bryan (1.2 sq mi). Sometimes a duck just has to stretch its legs!

RBAS Birding

Now how about us? We kept an RBAS Ebird list for our field trips and any other “official” activity. Up to November, we had tallied 241 species! This includes such fantastic sightings as the Zone-tailed Hawk at Smith Point, the ENTIRE Del Rio trip (Rock & Canyon Wrens, Green Jay, Cassin’s, Olive, and Black-throated Sparrows, Verdin, Pyrruloxia… and more!), Bronzed Cowbirds, Wilson’s Phalarope, and Purple Gallinules just to name a few. I think all in all it was a good year to go birding in the Brazos Valley… and good year to go birding with RBAS!

Handsome Black-throated Sparrow from the Del Rio Trip

2015: More birds!

With the New Year’s Eve festivities behind us now, there’s not much left to do but get out and go birding! RBAS will have an active schedule of programs, beginner and advanced birding activities, outreach events, field trips, and a new **Members Only Field Trips**. These new Member Trips will be in addition to our regular monthly (and free) field trips and will go to places that we have to do a little leg work to get access to property.

Our first Member Trip will be to the Gibbons Creek TMPA Mine Reclamation Property in Grimes County in late January (we’re still working on the details). By the way, did you hear about the Rough-legged Hawk they had on the property at the CBC on 30December!?!?! Yeah, that place is always hiding treasures!

Don't worry- we won't make you paddle at Gibbons Creek!

We’ll announce more of the trips, and more Challenges!, as the year progresses. If you have any requests for a Member’s Trip or a regularly scheduled monthly trip, please feel free to speak up! I’m looking forward to having a great 2015 and I hope you’ll come out a bird with us!

Count: 249	Count: 240
Brazos	Burelson, Grimes, Milam, Madison, Robertson, Washington
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck	Black-bellied Whistling-Duck
Greater White-fronted Goose	Greater White-fronted Goose
Snow Goose	Snow Goose
Ross's Goose	Ross's Goose
Cackling Goose
Canada Goose	Canada Goose
Wood Duck	Wood Duck
Gadwall	Gadwall
American Wigeon	American Wigeon
Mallard	Mallard
Mottled Duck	Mottled Duck
Blue-winged Teal	Blue-winged Teal
Cinnamon Teal	Cinnamon Teal
Northern Shoveler	Northern Shoveler
Northern Pintail	Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal	Green-winged Teal
Canvasback	Canvasback
Redhead	Redhead
Ring-necked Duck	Ring-necked Duck
Lesser Scaup	Lesser Scaup
	Long-tailed Duck
Bufflehead	Bufflehead
	Common Goldeneye
Hooded Merganser	Hooded Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser	Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck	Ruddy Duck
Northern Bobwhite	Northern Bobwhite
	Wild Turkey
Common Loon	Common Loon
	Least Grebe
Pied-billed Grebe	Pied-billed Grebe
	Horned Grebe
	Eared Grebe
Wood Stork	Wood Stork
Neotropic Cormorant	Neotropic Cormorant
Double-crested Cormorant	Double-crested Cormorant
Anhinga	Anhinga
American White Pelican	American White Pelican
American Bittern	American Bittern
Great Blue Heron	Great Blue Heron
Great Egret	Great Egret
Snowy Egret	Snowy Egret
Little Blue Heron	Little Blue Heron
Tricolored Heron	Tricolored Heron
	Reddish Egret
Cattle Egret	Cattle Egret
Green Heron	Green Heron
Black-crowned Night-Heron	Black-crowned Night-Heron
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron	Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
White Ibis	White Ibis
White-faced Ibis	White-faced Ibis
Roseate Spoonbill
Black Vulture	Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture	Turkey Vulture
Osprey	Osprey
	White-tailed Kite
Mississippi Kite	Mississippi Kite
Northern Harrier	Northern Harrier
Sharp-shinned Hawk	Sharp-shinned Hawk
Cooper's Hawk	Cooper's Hawk
Bald Eagle	Bald Eagle
	White-tailed Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk	Red-shouldered Hawk
Broad-winged Hawk	Broad-winged Hawk
Swainson's Hawk	Swainson's Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk	Red-tailed Hawk
	Virginia Rail
	Sora
Purple Gallinule	Purple Gallinule
Common Gallinule	Common Gallinule
American Coot	American Coot
Sandhill Crane	Sandhill Crane
Black-necked Stilt	Black-necked Stilt
American Avocet	American Avocet
Black-bellied Plover
American Golden-Plover	American Golden-Plover
Killdeer	Killdeer
Spotted Sandpiper	Spotted Sandpiper
Solitary Sandpiper	Solitary Sandpiper
Greater Yellowlegs	Greater Yellowlegs
	Willet
Lesser Yellowlegs	Lesser Yellowlegs
Upland Sandpiper	Upland Sandpiper
Hudsonian Godwit
Stilt Sandpiper
Sanderling	Sanderling
Dunlin
	Baird's Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper	Least Sandpiper
White-rumped Sandpiper	White-rumped Sandpiper
Buff-breasted Sandpiper	Buff-breasted Sandpiper
Pectoral Sandpiper	Pectoral Sandpiper
	Semipalmated Sandpiper
	Western Sandpiper
Long-billed Dowitcher	Long-billed Dowitcher
Wilson's Snipe	Wilson's Snipe
American Woodcock
Wilson's Phalarope	Wilson's Phalarope
Bonaparte's Gull	Bonaparte's Gull
Laughing Gull	Laughing Gull
Franklin's Gull	Franklin's Gull
Ring-billed Gull	Ring-billed Gull
	Herring Gull
Black Tern	Black Tern
Forster's Tern	Forster's Tern
Rock Pigeon	Rock Pigeon
Eurasian Collared-Dove	Eurasian Collared-Dove
Inca Dove	Inca Dove
Common Ground-Dove	Common Ground-Dove
White-winged Dove	White-winged Dove
Mourning Dove	Mourning Dove
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Black-billed Cuckoo	Black-billed Cuckoo
Greater Roadrunner	Greater Roadrunner
Barn Owl	Barn Owl
Eastern Screech-Owl	Eastern Screech-Owl
Great Horned Owl	Great Horned Owl
	Burrowing Owl
Barred Owl	Barred Owl
Common Nighthawk	Common Nighthawk
Chuck-will's-widow
Eastern Whip-poor-will
Chimney Swift	Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	Ruby-throated Hummingbird
	Black-chinned Hummingbird
Rufous Hummingbird	Rufous Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher	Belted Kingfisher
Red-headed Woodpecker	Red-headed Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker	Red-bellied Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
	Ladder-backed Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker	Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker	Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker	Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker	Pileated Woodpecker
Crested Caracara	Crested Caracara
American Kestrel	American Kestrel
Merlin	Merlin
Peregrine Falcon	Peregrine Falcon
Olive-sided Flycatcher	Olive-sided Flycatcher
Eastern Wood-Pewee	Eastern Wood-Pewee
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
Acadian Flycatcher	Acadian Flycatcher
Alder Flycatcher
Least Flycatcher	Least Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe	Eastern Phoebe
Great Crested Flycatcher	Great Crested Flycatcher
	Great Kiskadee
Western Kingbird	Western Kingbird
Eastern Kingbird	Eastern Kingbird
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher	Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
Loggerhead Shrike	Loggerhead Shrike
White-eyed Vireo	White-eyed Vireo
Bell's Vireo
Yellow-throated Vireo	Yellow-throated Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo	Blue-headed Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Philadelphia Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo	Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay	Blue Jay
American Crow	American Crow
Horned Lark	Horned Lark
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Purple Martin	Purple Martin
Tree Swallow	Tree Swallow
Bank Swallow	Bank Swallow
Barn Swallow	Barn Swallow
Cliff Swallow	Cliff Swallow
Cave Swallow	Cave Swallow
Carolina Chickadee	Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse	Tufted Titmouse
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch	White-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper	Brown Creeper
House Wren	House Wren
Winter Wren	Winter Wren
Sedge Wren	Sedge Wren
Marsh Wren	Marsh Wren
Carolina Wren	Carolina Wren
Bewick's Wren	Bewick's Wren
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Golden-crowned Kinglet	Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Eastern Bluebird	Eastern Bluebird
Veery
Gray-cheeked Thrush
Swainson's Thrush
Hermit Thrush	Hermit Thrush
Wood Thrush
American Robin	American Robin
Gray Catbird	Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher	Brown Thrasher
Northern Mockingbird	Northern Mockingbird
European Starling	European Starling
American Pipit	American Pipit
Sprague's Pipit	Sprague's Pipit
Cedar Waxwing	Cedar Waxwing
	Lapland Longspur
Ovenbird
Worm-eating Warbler
Louisiana Waterthrush	Louisiana Waterthrush
Northern Waterthrush
Blue-winged Warbler
Golden-winged Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler	Black-and-white Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler	Prothonotary Warbler
Swainson's Warbler	Swainson's Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler	Orange-crowned Warbler
Nashville Warbler	Nashville Warbler
Mourning Warbler	Mourning Warbler
Kentucky Warbler
Common Yellowthroat	Common Yellowthroat
Hooded Warbler	Hooded Warbler
American Redstart	American Redstart
Northern Parula	Northern Parula
Magnolia Warbler	Yellow Warbler
Bay-breasted Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler	Chestnut-sided Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Pine Warbler	Pine Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler	Yellow-rumped Warbler
Yellow-throated Warbler	Yellow-throated Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler	Black-throated Green Warbler
Canada Warbler	Canada Warbler
Wilson's Warbler	Wilson's Warbler
Yellow-breasted Chat	Yellow-breasted Chat
Spotted Towhee	Spotted Towhee
Eastern Towhee	Eastern Towhee
	Cassin's Sparrow
Chipping Sparrow	Chipping Sparrow
Clay-colored Sparrow	Clay-colored Sparrow
Field Sparrow	Field Sparrow
Vesper Sparrow	Vesper Sparrow
Lark Sparrow	Lark Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow	Savannah Sparrow
Grasshopper Sparrow	Grasshopper Sparrow
Le Conte's Sparrow	Le Conte's Sparrow
Fox Sparrow	Fox Sparrow
Song Sparrow	Song Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow	Lincoln's Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow	Swamp Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow	White-throated Sparrow
Harris's Sparrow	Harris's Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow	White-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco	Dark-eyed Junco
Summer Tanager	Summer Tanager
Scarlet Tanager
Northern Cardinal	Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Blue Grosbeak	Blue Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting	Indigo Bunting
Painted Bunting	Painted Bunting
Dickcissel	Dickcissel
Red-winged Blackbird	Red-winged Blackbird
Western Meadowlark	Western Meadowlark
Eastern Meadowlark	Eastern Meadowlark
	Yellow-headed Blackbird
Rusty Blackbird	Rusty Blackbird
Brewer's Blackbird	Brewer's Blackbird
Common Grackle	Common Grackle
Great-tailed Grackle	Great-tailed Grackle
Bronzed Cowbird
Brown-headed Cowbird	Brown-headed Cowbird
Orchard Oriole	Orchard Oriole
Baltimore Oriole	Baltimore Oriole
House Finch	House Finch
	Purple Finch
Pine Siskin	Pine Siskin
American Goldfinch	American Goldfinch
House Sparrow	House Sparrow